All Blog Posts about ‘Lab’

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Coating is a finishing process used prolifically throughout industries working with agglomerates to meet a wide variety of objectives. A surface treatment for particles, coating can be used to enhance specific characteristics of a pellet, granule, or other agglomerate, be it a mineral, chemical, or Continue reading →

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Clay is arguably one of the most important industrial minerals on Earth. This diverse, naturally occurring material created through the breakdown of rock is used in an endless number of applications throughout a host of industries. In 2016, the US Geological Survey estimated that 25.7 Continue reading →

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Green strength, also known as wet strength, refers to a pellet’s strength prior to drying. Pellets need a certain amount of strength to withstand the number of drop points during processing; this includes leaving the agglomeration equipment such as the pan pelletizer or drum agglomerator, Continue reading →

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Zinc (Zn) is a micronutrient essential for healthy growth in plants, animals, and humans. In plants, zinc fosters proper growth and development and is recognized as closely tied to limited crop yields when not available in sufficient amounts. Furthermore, malnutrition as a result of zinc Continue reading →

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This week’s photo highlights a dry crush strength test from the FEECO Innovation Center. Crush strength tests measure the strength of a pellet, or how much pressure it takes to completely crush the pellet. The tests are performed on a single pellet, using metal plates Continue reading →

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A sieve analysis measures particle size distribution, and more specifically, what percentage of on-size, over-size and under-size pellets are produced from the agglomeration process. The analysis is an important part of agglomerate process and product development, as it confirms whether or not the agglomeration process Continue reading →

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Simply stated, hygroscopic materials absorb moisture, whereas hydrophobic materials do not absorb moisture from the environment. Knowing which category a material falls under plays an important role in our work in the Innovation Center; it affects the way in which a material is both stored Continue reading →

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This week’s photo is a compactor from the FEECO Innovation Center. Here, a heat lamp is set directly on the compactor’s feed chute, so the metal of the cold chute would not take away the heat from the pre-heated feed material. FEECO’s process experts are Continue reading →

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Pelletizing on a pan pelletizer requires the help of a binding agent to achieve agglomeration. This is accomplished through the use of a spray system. The binding agent, and the way it is dispersed, plays a role in successful agglomeration. The following variables should be Continue reading →